The upcoming November 8th election will offer unprecedented choices for this year’s school board candidates.
Roseanne Crawford
Candidates and voters are well aware of our public school problems. Poor literacy is at the top of the list in most cases, especially secondary school graduates who do not have adequate English and math skills, limiting their opportunities for employment and higher education.
As a candidate for Area 1 Trustee of the Santa Barbara County Board of Education, I offer options and fresh ideas. My opponent, incumbent Marybeth Carty, was appointed provisionally in 2013.
Voters want change and choice because the status quo is not working. Teachers and parents want to have a say at the table. The common denominator of the multifaceted problem is literacy. It’s a great equalizer.
I am a candidate who reaches out across the aisle and includes teachers and parents to be part of the solution.
The county board of education covers approximately 20 school districts within the county and has specific functions to serve the needs of local school districts by providing administrative, curricula and educational services.
One of them is to help school districts build and implement equitable and good education programs for all students in local contexts. Across schools, there is a lack of consistency.
The biggest problem in my opinion is the practice of tracking non-English speakers at the beginner level. Currently, if a child speaks both English and Spanish, or only Spanish, they will be placed in a separate class from English speaking students.
By the end of elementary school, many people are so far behind in English that they cannot pass the English Proficiency Test. As a result, they continue to be pursued by various classes in high school. Many of them leave school with poor English and math skills and few opportunities.
However, the county education department has a number of programs to support and build a good literacy program as a model that school districts struggling in these areas can benefit from, and uniformity to provide better results. can be encouraged.
As a result of this weakness in our schools and lack of parental satisfaction, enrollment continues to decline as students are unable to attend private, charter or homeschooling due to a lack of quality education. .
The school’s focus on “values and politics” and emphasis on differences has led to schism with increased anxiety problems seen in younger children.
Let’s go back to basics, focus on English, math and science, and provide career paths and training for non-college students. Students need involvement and choice to succeed on their school trips. Alternatively, some students end up in juvenile court schools overseen by the county education department.
Public education is not free. The cost is approximately $23,000 in taxpayer dollars per student per year. We need to do better.
I am a parent, grandparent, and 30-year education advocate who left my professional career to be a PTA mom in the classroom.
Click here for more information on my diverse background.
We look forward to your vote on November 8th for County Board of Education Area 1.
— Rosanne Crawford is a candidate for the Santa Barbara County Education Board of Education Trustee Area 1. Opinions expressed are her own.
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